South-end police report has no surprises

The three-month period from April to June this year was “pretty standard” for the RCMP, Sgt. Rob Knapton told members of the Moresby Island Management Committee Aug. 11 in Sandspit. The RCMP opened 212 files during the quarter, down a bit from the 248 opened in the same period in 2010, but almost the same as the 211 opened in 2009. About 11 percent of those calls came from Sandspit, Sgt. Knapton said. Significant calls from Sandspit in April, May and June included the only motor vehicle collision that resulted in injuries (there were minor injuries to the driver), and five calls for domestic assaults. The RCMP detachment, which is responsible for policing all of Haida Gwaii south of the Tlell River bridge, received only two other domestic assault calls, both from Queen Charlotte. Sandspit also had one sexual assault reported, one call for theft under $5,000, three calls about property damage, and four traffic complaints, according to Sgt. Knapton’s quarterly report. The Queen Charlotte detachment is now fully staffed with the arrival of Const. Darren Swetlishoff in July, Sgt. Knapton said. He also told committee members that the RCMP has an active school liaison program, and has officers out working in the locals schools and with young people whenever possible. “By and large, what I’ve found here on Haida Gwaii, the biggest concern is interaction with youth,” he said. “So we spend as much time as we can in the schools as well as with youth.” A police officer attended the Mount Moresby Adventure camp with local grade 5s in June and another officer was participating in the Swan Bay Rediscovery camp, Sgt. Knapton said. These kind of positive interactions pay off in the long run, he said, helping change some people’s perception of the police as something to be feared.